Lady Rebecca Blackwood stared hazily at the raindrops through her window that she ought to close, but the calm sound of rain petals, as they met with the wet earth gave her an eccentric sense of freedom. A freedom short-lived as a knock interrupted her moment of serenity.
Awaiting no approval, the door opened and her Lady's maid walked in, she soon frowned seeing the open window. "Milady, pray tell, do you wish to catch your death here?" She proceeded to the window muttering curses in her Mother's tongue.
"Don't be overly dramatic, Mina few minutes of fresh rain breeze hardly kills." Rebecca, Becca for short, walked to her four post bed, slumping over it.
"It would hurt for me to see you down with a cold, with your frail body, a cold could send you to the grim reapers scythe." Mina said drawing the shade, she added more woods to the fireplace that was running low.
"But, it would not make a difference would it? No body would mourn me or weep for me." Becca said staring at the high ceilings.
"That's not completely true Milady, I would weep for you, I shall wail too, for I'll be jobless if you were to meet your death." Mina said walking over to the small wardrobe at the other end of the small room.
"Lies, you would be free to work for more esteemed mistresses, you possess a talent of being very articulate and meticulous at whatsoever you do." Becca said her voice admiringly honest, as it was true, her Lady's maid possessed more qualities than she could mention.
"Noble ladies would pay very high to have you, which leads me to question of why you are here, attending to I." Becca sat up supporting her head with her palm as she watched her Lady's maid browse her wardrobe.
"Because I'm trapped here by my sister's daughter, who is just as curious and inquisitive as her Mother." Mina replied finally pulling out a beige colored dress from the wardrobe.
Becca's face showed she was very satisfied with the reply."Of what occasion is it? Dear Aunt Mina, that I'm to don a proper dress, I had thought it was merely dinner with the Kinfolks, or is it not?"
"It still is Milady, but important guest would grace our presence tonight, your father had explicitly ordered that I have you dolled up, from head to toe."
"Doesn't sound a bit like something he would say, I'm sure he meant, to keep me up here, with the excuse that I was sick. I caught a malady or something of that sort ." Becca word was haunting but her face carried a dainty smile, it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Perhaps true, come on, get into the dress and sit you fine ass, I shall work on that bird nest hair of yours."
꧁༒☬༒꧂
Becca alighted the last stair step of the Grand staircase, walking down the corridor, Becca made her way to the Dinning room. A footman stood before the door like a statue, on taking notice of her, he bowed pushing the huge door open for her.
Inside the Dinning room, Becca first took notice of the portraits of the previous Earls perched on the walls, even the family portrait was hung up. Mother hated it. Every single candelabra was lit tonight. Becca wondered who was the the guest for the big impression. The table was almost filled unlike any other day, Father was sitted at the table head, Mother sat to his right, John sat at Father's left, Lisa sat at her Mother's side, tonight she seemed to have put in more than enough effort into her fashion, She was in one of her finest dress, a beautiful dress that she'd only wore once when Viscount of Aberll had visited.
On the other side of the table, Were two other people, whose face she couldn't see because of the dinning room entrance, walking over to the group of people, one thing she was certain of was, She was late, one or two rebukes was sure to follow later, maybe a few strikes too.
"Rebecca, there you're." Came Lisa's voice coy Lady, She was first to spot her and was flashing a smile that was a very certain phoney one. Lisa had done a good job at getting all attentions on her, Becca could feel Father's intent gaze on her, She could tell he was furious of her late coming, but who was to be blamed, she had only been informed of dinner only half an hour ago.
She offered a deep curtsey. "Good evening, Father, Mother, John." Turning to the two people, she equally curtsey." Good evening Gentlemen, sorry for my late arrival, I was not informed prior to time about dinner, please accept my apologies and bid away my rudeness."
"No huge troubles, Milady." The man who spoke sat at the other end of the table, when Becca looked up at him, Her breathing hitched for a seconds. Calling a masculine man beautiful was considered rude, but she certainly knew not what to call him, the man possessed the kind of beauty that could surpass a woman's, his long blonde hair was neatly brushed, he had icy blue eyes that reminded her of her very own that was as deep as blue seas.
Becca took a sit beside her sister, a maid came forward to place food on her empty plate, Becca let her, pretending it was normal.
"Gentlemen, this is my youngest child, Rebecca." She heard father's voice, that was when she remembered she'd seen two men, looking up to see the other man's face, she came in eye contact with a deep midnight black eyes that looked liked a black hole with no depth.
"Glad to meet you Miss Blackwood, I'm Linton Crest, and this is my dear cousin Damion NightBane."Mr Crest introduced as he cut into his food.
"Welcome to Blackwood Manor, kind Sirs." Becca's said with a small polite smile..
"Thank you Milady." Mr Crest replied.
Becca began to dig into her food and everyone else was.
"The dinner was arranged, sennight ago Miss Blackwood, how come you had no idea prior to date?" The voice was deep and calm, but the wind seem to thicken them.
Unlike Mr Crest whose looks was as beautiful and delicate as that of a womans. This man's look would never be mistaken for a feminine. His hair caught the candlelight like a spill of midnight ink. His gaze carried no reflection, only depth like falling into a sky where no stars dared to shine. He looked carved of shadow and moonlight too pale for warmth, too dark for peace.
He wore darkness well, as though it were made for him, He could easily blend with chaotic shadows.
She had seen Gentlemen with fine looks, yes fine looks
She had never met a man more handsome that this creature who sat before her his gaze boring feel into hers.
It was the Countess who broke the tensed silence, With a demeaning lie."Rebecca has a very foggy memory often she forgets, pardon her manners."
"Is that so Miss Blackwood?" Mr NightBane asked a grin perched on his face.
Becca knew he must have deciphered Mother's Lie." Yes Mr NightBane, I often forget things, it was a rare disease from birth."
"I know a doctor, would you love an appoin—
"Such talks are barely suitable at dinner Damion." Mr Crest intervened. "Dinner's getting cold."
"Lord Crest is right, we should eat." John's said, readily eating.
Dinner was quiet, Becca tried to eat as much as her little appetite could take, she noticed her sister whispering to her mother now and then and smiling shyly as a green girl would. But Melisa Blackwood was anything but a young naive girl, she was a serpent camouflaging in a green grass.
After dinner. ༒☬༒
The Ladies has made it to the Drawing room, while the Men all retreated to The Earl's study.
Lisa and her mother sat on the double seat couch, Becca sat on the double couch that was farway from them, almost in the shadow. She sippes her tea slowly, hoping the men finish their talk quickly and the guest, leaves soon.
"Mama Lord Crest is like the reincarnate of a Greek god, a very fine man he's." Lisa said seeming very infatuated by the feminine looking Crest.
"Yes dear, his looks are commendable, so is Lord NightBane's, do you not think so?" The countess asked as she sippes her tea elegantly.
"He's fairly Handsome Mama, but Lord Crest is beyond all." Lisa replied sipping her tea with a glee.".
"I disagree so, Sister, Mr NightBane is in fact the one that looks like very close to being a god's reincarnate." Becca said lazily sipping her tea, but as the words left her mouth, the door opened and her father and brother stepped in, followed by Mr Crest, and then followed by the man with eyes hollow and dark. There was no doubt she had been heard.